There have been numerous devices which have been previously developed to enable an alpine skier to train and exercise through simulation of some of the motions and forces of alpine skiing. Many of these prior art devices have consisted of carriages which move from side-to-side on rails under urging from a user supported on the carriage. Examples of such constructions are illustrated for example in Canadian Patent No. 886,148 of Schurch issued Nov. 16, 1971, Canadian Patent No. 862,613 of Ossenkop issued Feb. 2, 1971 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,839 of Knudson issued Aug. 26, 1986. Another form of device currently in the marketplace particularly for exercising of alpine skiers is a trampoline device in the form of a wide V, having ski pole handles secured to the frame of the device by which a user supports himself or herself in bouncing from one side to the other on the trampoline.
Another device of background interest is described and illustrated in Miehlich U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,195 issued June 17, 1986. There, a ski training apparatus is described in which a pair of ski boot supporting platforms are mounted on a seesaw platform which is itself centrally pivotally mounted on a swaying frame. The swaying frame swings, in horizontal fashion, on a main frame by means of elongated links extending between and secured to the swaying frame and main frame in the form of a parallelogram. Springs are provided to offer resistance to the swaying frame as it sways away from a midpoint.
Another device of a somewhat similar nature currently being marketed comprises a main support frame to which a pair of foot supporting arched members are pivotally supported for sideways pivotal movement. Spring urged bumpers meet the outer pivoting frame members at the bottom of their sideways movement to prevent them from pivoting sideways beyond a certain degree and to force them to return past the upper most, neutral position and then to the other side. This device provides a good sideways and vertical motion for a training device, in that the feet form a convex arch as they move from side-to-side.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a ski training and exercise device which will simulate, as realistically as possible, the sequence of motions of alpine skiing while at the same time improving the strength, balance, coordination and rhythm which are required for the smooth and natural motion of parallel alpine skiing. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device which is easy to operate and relatively inexpensive to construct. It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide such a device which is adjustable to many different weights of users and conditions of use.